Method, mobile device and cleaning robot for specifying cleaning areas

ABSTRACT

A method for specifying a cleaning area to a cleaning robot without an in-built map provides a hand-held mobile device capturing a two-dimensional code label arranged on a top of a cleaning robot parked on a charging base, and obtaining a positional relationship between the mobile device and the cleaning robot through the captured image. The cleaning robot is controlled to enter a cleaning mode under the guidance of the mobile device. With captured images, a user can specify an area within the environment for cleaning, and through a touch display screen can control the cleaning robot to go to the specified cleaning area for cleaning. The mobile device and the cleaning robot employing the method are also disclosed.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to robotic control, and moreparticularly, to a method for specifying cleaning areas, a mobile deviceand a cleaning robot.

BACKGROUND

In a cleaning robot, an application must be installed on a mobiledevice, and a cleaning area must be within an indoor map of theapplication installed in the cleaning robot. However, this controlmethod is only applicable to mobile devices which have applicationsinstalled, and can only designate an area to clean on the indoor map,which is not convenient for all family members to use.

Governing a mobile device for certain areas to be cleaned that does nothave such an application installed is problematic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by wayof embodiment, with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for specifying acleaning area in mobile device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an angle of atwo-dimensional code within the method of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a positionalrelationship between a mobile device and a cleaning robot.

FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram of one embodiment for obtainingpositional information of a mobile device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment for specifying acleaning area through a touch display screen of a mobile device.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method applied to acleaning robot for specifying a cleaning area.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a mobile device.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a cleaning robot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among thedifferent figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Inaddition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide athorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, itwill be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that theembodiments described herein can be practiced without these specificdetails. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components havenot been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevantfeature being described. Also, the description is not to be consideredas limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawingsare not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may beexaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the presentdisclosure.

References to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are notnecessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at leastone”.

In general, the word “module” as used hereinafter, refers to logicembodied in computing or firmware, or to a collection of softwareinstructions, written in a programming language, such as, Java, C, orassembly. One or more software instructions in the modules may beembedded in firmware, such as in an erasable programmable read onlymemory (EPROM). The modules described herein may be implemented aseither software and/or computing modules and may be stored in any typeof non-transitory computer-readable medium or other storage device. Somenon-limiting examples of non-transitory computer-readable media includeCDs, DVDs, BLU-RAY, flash memory, and hard disk drives. The term“comprising”, when utilized, means “including, but not necessarilylimited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion ormembership in a so-described combination, group, series, and the like.

FIG. 1 illustrates a flowchart of a method applied in a mobile devicefor specifying an area to be cleaned by a robot, according to oneembodiment. It should be noted that the mobile device may be a portabledevice such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer. As shown in FIG. 1 ,the method specifically comprises the following steps. According todifferent requirements, the order of the steps in the flowchart can bechanged, and some steps can be omitted or added.

When a cleaning robot is used for the first time, the cleaning robotuses the location of a charger or charging base as origin “O” toestablish a coordinate system, and after completing multiple cleaningtasks, establish an indoor two-dimensional map.

In one embodiment, the cleaning robot can select a plurality ofreference points and record the coordinate values of each referencepoint while establishing the indoor two-dimensional map. The rules ofselection of the plurality of reference points comprise: narrowwalkways, obstacles, and must-pass passages. In this embodiment, atwo-dimensional code label is arranged on the top of the cleaning robot.In this embodiment, the positional information comprises X-axiscoordinate values, Y-axis coordinate values, and angle values of themap. For example, the positional information of the cleaning robot whencharging and/or parking at the charging base (that is, coordinate origin“0”) is marked as (X_(O), Y_(O), Θ_(O)). The two-dimensional code labelcomprises a quick response matrix code. The characteristics of the quickresponse matrix (QR) code is that there are three patterns on the threecorners of the two-dimensional code, which can be used to uniquelydetermine the angle of the two-dimensional code, as shown is FIG. 2 . Inthis embodiment, the zero-degree direction of the two-dimensional codewhen the cleaning robot is parked on the charging base is taken as thezero-degree direction of the map, that is Θ_(O)=0 degree.

In step S102, a camera of the mobile device captures an image of thetwo-dimensional code label on the top of the cleaning robot parked onthe charging base, then the mobile device establishes a wirelesscommunication connection with the cleaning robot, and obtains an indoortwo-dimensional map.

In this embodiment, a user holds the mobile device and scans thetwo-dimensional code label on the top of the cleaning robot parked onthe charging base through the camera of the mobile device. The camera ofthe mobile device captures the image comprising the two-dimensional codelabel and the two-dimensional code of the two-dimensional code label isidentified by well-known decoding algorithms to obtain the informationcarried in the two-dimensional code, where the information carriedcomprises the identification of the cleaning robot, and the wirelesscommunication establishment method.

In one embodiment, the mobile device establishes a wirelesscommunication connection with the cleaning robot according to theidentification information of the cleaning robot and the wirelesscommunication establishment method, and obtains an indoortwo-dimensional map. In one embodiment, the wireless communicationestablishment method can comprise BLUETOOTH, WI-FI, and so on.

In step S104, the mobile device obtains the positional relationshipbetween the mobile device and the cleaning robot according to thecaptured image, and determines an initial positional information of themobile device on the indoor two-dimensional map.

Specifically, the mobile device calculates a distance between the cameraand the two-dimensional code label by using optics or otherrange-finding algorithms. The distance is equivalent to the distancebetween the mobile device and the cleaning robot. The horizontaldistance between the mobile device and the cleaning robot can becalculated by the distance. Finally, the positional relationship betweenthe mobile device and the cleaning robot can be obtained according tothe horizontal distance and the angle of the two-dimensional code in thecaptured image. The initial positional information of the mobile deviceon the indoor two-dimensional map is determined accordingly.

In one embodiment, the positional relationship comprises a horizontaldistance and an angle. As shown in FIG. 3A, the mobile device 301 usesthe focal length of the camera to calculate the distance D between themobile device 301 and the cleaning robot 302. Θ₁ is the inclinationangle of the mobile device 301 with respect to the Z axis. Because thelinkage of the two-dimensional code label to the center of the camera isperpendicular to the mobile device 301, Θ₂=90 degrees−Θ₁. Using D, Θ₂and the following formula, the horizontal distance D′ between the mobiledevice 301 and the cleaning robot 302 can be calculated:

D′=D×sin(Θ₂)

A rotation angle of the mobile device acquired by a gyro sensor inaccordance with the angle of the two-dimension code in the capturedimage can be used to calculate the angle Θ_(C) between the mobile deviceand the cleaning robot.

The horizontal distance D′ and the angle Θ_(C) between the mobile device301 and the cleaning robot 302 can be used to calculate the X axiscoordinate value and the Y axis coordinate value of the initialpositional information of the mobile device 301 on the indoortwo-dimensional map and obtain positional information in full concerning(X_(C), Y_(C), and O_(C)).

In step S106, the mobile device transmits the initial positionalinformation to the cleaning robot and controls the cleaning robot toenter a person mode.

In one embodiment, the information of the two-dimensional code furthercomprises webpage link information, and the mobile device can connect tothe webpage to control the cleaning robot through webpage operations.

In step S108, the mobile device records the moving distance and therotation angle relative to the initial positional information andinforms the cleaning robot.

In one embodiment, the mobile device uses an inertial measurement unitto obtain the moving distance and the rotation angle of the mobiledevice during a movement, and regularly informs the cleaning robot ofthe moving distance (ΔX, ΔY) and the rotation angle (ΔΘ) according tothe initial position information. The cleaning robot executes obstacleavoidance according to the received moving distance (ΔX, ΔY), therotation angle (ΔΘ), and the indoor two-dimensional map.

In one embodiment, the mobile device also updates its current positionaccording to the initial position information, the moving distance, andthe rotation angle.

In one embodiment, the cleaning robot also uses the positionalinformation of the plurality of reference points to correct currentposition of the mobile device during movements and notifies the mobiledevice to correct any positional error.

In step S110, the user uses the camera of the mobile device to capturean indoor environment, and encircles an area on the touch display screenof the mobile device to represent an area to be cleaned.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the user can encircle the cleaning area 401 on thetouch display screen of the mobile device 400.

In step S112, the mobile device determines the coordinate value of thecenter point of the indoor environment on the indoor two-dimensionalmap, and obtains a plurality of coordinate values of the cleaning areaencircled by the user.

Specifically, the mobile device can calculate the distance between thecamera and a center point of the indoor environment by using the focallength or other range-finding algorithms. The distance is equivalent tothe distance between the mobile device and the center point of theindoor environment. The horizontal distance between the mobile deviceand the center point of the indoor environment can be calculatedaccording to the distance between the mobile device and the center pointof the indoor environment. The positional relationship between themobile device and the center point of the indoor environment can becalculated based on the horizontal distance between the mobile deviceand the center point of the indoor environment, the cumulative rotationangle recorded by the mobile device, and the rotation anglecorresponding to zero degrees of the indoor two-dimensional map. Themobile device can obtain the positional relationship between the mobiledevice and the center point of the indoor environment, and determine thecoordinate value of the center point of the indoor environment on theindoor two-dimensional map based on the relative positional relationshipbased on the current position information of the mobile device.According to the coordinate value of the center point of the indoorenvironment, and the focal length, the plurality of coordinate values(X₁, Y₁), (X₂, Y₂), . . . , (X_(N), Y_(N)) of the cleaning area can beobtained.

In step S114, the mobile device transmits the plurality of coordinatevalues of the cleaning area to the cleaning robot and controls thecleaning robot to enter a cleaning mode.

After receiving the plurality of coordinate values of the cleaning area,the cleaning robot moves to the cleaning area specified by the user toperform cleaning according to the indoor two-dimensional map.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of the cleaning robot in a method forspecifying the cleaning area according to one embodiment. As shown inFIG. 5 , the method specifically comprises the following steps.According to different requirements, the order of the steps in theflowchart can be changed, and some steps can be omitted or added.

In step S502, the cleaning robot establishes the wireless communicationconnection with the mobile device and transmits the indoortwo-dimensional map comprising the positional information of the originpoint of the coordinates.

In step S504, the cleaning robot obtains the initial positionalinformation of the mobile device on the indoor two-dimensional map andenters a person following mode according to a person following commandtransmitted from the mobile device and the initial positionalinformation.

In the person following mode, the cleaning robot regularly receives themovement distance and the rotation angle transmitted by the mobiledevice, and performs obstacle avoidance according to the movementdistance, the rotation angle, and the indoor two-dimensional map.

In step S506, the cleaning robot determines whether the user who iscarrying the mobile device passes through one of the plurality ofreference points. When it is determined that the user has passed throughone of the plurality of reference points, step S508 is executed. If itis determined that the user has not passed any one of the plurality ofreference points, step S510 is executed.

In one embodiment, the cleaning robot comprises a photographing unit forcollecting images of the environment. The cleaning robot can determinewhether the user passes through one of the plurality of reference pointsaccording to the collected environmental images.

In step S508, the cleaning robot uses the coordinate values of thereference points passed by the user to correct the current positioninformation of the mobile device, and notify the mobile device of thecorrections.

In step S510, the cleaning robot receives the plurality of coordinatevalues on the indoor two-dimensional map, and enters a cleaning modeaccording to a cleaning command transmitted from the mobile device, andmoves to an area corresponding to the plurality of coordinate values forcleaning.

FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a mobile device 600 according toone embodiment.

The mobile device 600 comprises at least one processor 602, a memory604, a communication unit 606, a camera 608, a display 610, and a sensorunit 612. It should be understood that the composition of the mobiledevice 600 shown in the FIG. 6 does not constitute a limitation. Otherexamples of the mobile device 600 may comprise more or less otherhardware or software than those shown in the figures, or have differentcomponent arrangements.

In one embodiment, the at least one processor 602 comprises integratedcircuits, for example, a single packaged integrated circuit, or multipleintegrated circuits with the same function or different functions,including one or a combination of multiple central processing units(Central Processing Unit, CPU), microprocessors, digital processingchips, graphics processors, and various control chips. The at least oneprocessor 602 is the control core (Control Unit) of the mobile device600, which uses various interfaces and lines to connect variouscomponents of the mobile device 600, and runs or executes programs ormodules stored in the memory 604. Data stored in the memory 604 can becalled up to perform various functions and process data of the mobiledevice 600, for example, perform a cleaning function to a specifiedarea. The processor 602 is also used to interact with other components.

The memory 604 comprises a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), aprogrammable read-only memory (Programmable Read-Only Memory, PROM), andan erasable programmable read-only memory (Erasable ProgrammableRead-Only Memory, EPROM), one-time Programmable Read-Only Memory(OTPROM), Electrically-Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM),CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory, CD-ROM) or other optical diskstorage, magnetic disk storage, tape storage, or any othercomputer-readable storage medium that can be used to carry or storedata.

The memory 604 stores program codes, and the at least one processor 602can execute the program codes stored in the memory 604 to performrelated functions. For example, the program code of the method flow ofFIG. 1 is executed by the at least one processor 602, so as to realizethe functions of the various modules to achieve the purpose ofspecifying the cleaning area.

In one embodiment, the memory 604 stores one or more instructions (thatis, at least one instruction), and the at least one instruction isexecuted by the at least one processor 602 to achieve the purpose ofspecifying the cleaning area. For details, refer to FIG. 1 shown.

The communication unit 606 is used for wired or wireless communicationbetween the mobile terminal 600 and other devices. The mobile device 600can access a wireless network based on a communication standard throughthe communication unit 606, such as WI-FI, 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G, or acombination thereof. In one embodiment, the communication unit 606further comprises near-field communication (NFC), radio frequencyidentification (RFID), ultra-wideband (UWB), BLUETOOTH, and othertechnologies.

The camera 608 is used to capture images.

The display 610 comprises a touch display screen for receiving userinstructions and displaying operation information and captured images,comprising receiving touch inputs from the user.

The sensor unit 612 comprises an inertial measurement unit for sensingmovement of the mobile device 600, comprising data such as acceleration,angular velocity, magnetic force, and pressure of the mobile device 600during movement.

FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of a cleaning robot 700 according toone embodiment.

The cleaning robot 700 comprises at least one processor 702, a memory704, a communication unit 706, a photographing unit 708, a sensor unit710, and a power supply unit 712. It should be understood that thecomposition of the cleaning robot 700 shown in FIG. 7 does notconstitute a limitation of the embodiment. Other examples of thecleaning robot 700 may comprise more or less other hardware or softwarethan shown in the figure, or have different component arrangements.

In one embodiment, the at least one processor 702 comprises integratedcircuits, for example, a single packaged integrated circuit, or may becomposed of multiple integrated circuits with the same function ordifferent functions, comprising one or a combination of multiple centralprocessing units (Central Processing Unit, CPU), microprocessors,digital processing chips, graphics processors, and various controlchips. The at least one processor 702 is the control core (Control Unit)of the cleaning robot 700, which uses various interfaces and lines toconnect various components of the cleaning robot 700, and by running orexecuting programs or modules stored in the memory 704, and call thedata stored in the memory 704 to perform various functions and processdata of the cleaning robot 700, for example, perform a cleaning areaspecifying function. The processor 702 is also used to interact withother components.

The memory 704 comprises a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), aprogrammable read-only memory (Programmable Read-Only Memory, PROM), andan erasable programmable read-only memory (Erasable ProgrammableRead-Only Memory, EPROM), One-time Programmable Read-Only Memory(OTPROM), Electrically-Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM),CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory, CD-ROM) or other optical diskstorage, magnetic disk storage, tape storage, or any othercomputer-readable storage medium that can be used to carry or storedata.

The memory 704 stores program codes, and the at least one processor 702can call up the program codes stored in the memory 704 to performrelated functions. For example, the program code of the method flow ofFIG. 5 is executed by the at least one processor 702, so as to realizethe functions of the various modules to achieve the purpose ofspecifying the cleaning area.

In one embodiment, the memory 704 stores one or more instructions (thatis, at least one instruction), and the at least one instruction isexecuted by the at least one processor 702 to achieve the purpose ofspecifying the cleaning area. For details, refer to FIG. 5 shown.

The communication unit 706 is used for wireless communication betweenthe cleaning robot 700 and other devices. The cleaning robot 700 canaccess a wireless network based on a communication standard via thecommunication unit 706, such as WI-FI, 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G, or acombination thereof. In one embodiment, the communication unit 706further comprises near-field communication (NFC), radio frequencyidentification (RFID), ultra-wideband (UWB), BLUETOOTH, and othertechnologies.

The photographing unit 708 is used to collect images of the environment.

The sensor unit 710 comprises a distance measuring sensor and acollision sensor for detecting distance and impacts with obstacles.

The power supply unit 712 comprises a charging base docking componentthat can be docked to the charging base, and is used to supply power toeach component of the cleaning robot 700.

In summary, the cleaning area specify method, mobile device, andcleaning robot utilize the camera of the mobile device to capture theimages of indoor environment and specify a cleaning area, and notify thecleaning robot in real time to go to clean.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Manydetails are often found in the relevant art and many such details areneither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics andadvantages of the present technology have been set forth in theforegoing description, together with details of the structure andfunction of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only,and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape,size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the presentdisclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broadgeneral meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore beappreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified withinthe scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for specifying a cleaning area, themethod comprising: establishing, by a cleaning robot, a wirelesscommunication connection with a mobile device according to a wirelesscommunication method specified in a two-dimensional code label arrangedon a top of the cleaning robot; transmitting, by the cleaning robot, anindoor two-dimensional map comprising a positional information of acoordinate origin to the mobile device; obtaining, by the cleaningrobot, an initial positional information of the mobile device on theindoor two-dimensional map; entering a person following mode, by thecleaning robot, according to a person following command transmitted formthe mobile device and the initial positional information; receiving, bythe cleaning robot, a plurality of coordinate values of the cleaningarea on the indoor two-dimensional map transmitted by the mobile device;and, entering a cleaning mode, by the cleaning robot, according to acleaning command transmitted from the mobile device and moving to thecleaning area corresponding to the plurality of coordinate value forcleaning.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method furthercomprises: determining, by the cleaning robot, whether a user who iscarrying the mobile device passes through one of a plurality ofreference points on the indoor two-dimensional map; correcting, by thecleaning robot, a current position of the mobile device according tocoordinate values of the plurality of reference points when it isdetermined that the user has passed through one of the plurality ofreference points.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method furthercomprises: selecting, by the cleaning robot, the plurality of referencepoints and record the coordinate values of the plurality of referencepoints while establishing the indoor two-dimensional map wherein a ruleof the selecting o the plurality of reference points comprise: narrowwalkways, obstacles, and must-pass passages.
 4. A cleaning robot forspecifying a cleaning area, comprising: a memory storing instructions;and a processor coupled to the memory and, when executing theinstructions, configured for: establishing, by a cleaning robot, awireless communication connection with a mobile device according to awireless communication method specified in a two-dimensional code labelarranged on a top of the cleaning robot; transmitting, by the cleaningrobot, an indoor two-dimensional map comprising a positional informationof a coordinate origin to the mobile device; obtaining, by the cleaningrobot, an initial positional information of the mobile device on theindoor two-dimensional map; entering a person following mode, by thecleaning robot, according to a person following command transmitted formthe mobile device and the initial positional information; receiving, bythe cleaning robot, a plurality of coordinate values of the cleaningarea on the indoor two-dimensional map transmitted by the mobile device;and, entering a cleaning mode, by the cleaning robot, according to acleaning command transmitted from the mobile device and moving to thecleaning area corresponding to the plurality of coordinate value forcleaning.